# How long can you keep Scotch for?



## CoCigarSmoker (Jan 7, 2015)

Ok guys, so I'm just curious as to how long you can keep an UN-opened bottle of scotch for and I'm not talking 6months I mean, 10 years, 20 years, 30 years? Also if it's price point dependent I'm not looking to spend over 200$ but I'd like to find a bottle to put down for a long time, theoretically retirement, but don't want to waste the money if in 25 years it's going to taste like Sh**. 

Thanks,

Seth


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## tnlawyer (Jul 17, 2013)

Will be curious to see the responses...


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## bluenose (Nov 16, 2014)

Also interested in seeing the responses to this...


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## HardHeaded (Nov 6, 2013)

I would imagine quite a while if stored in a cool dark place. No idea what it would taste like after though. 

I have a cheap bottle of Mcclellands that should make it that long. I'll let you know if it tastes any worse. Not the best decision I have made in the last year.


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## Drez_ (Jan 30, 2014)

From the Scotch Whisky Association website:



> Unlike wine, whisky does not mature in the bottle. So even if you keep a 12 year old bottle for 100 years, it will always remain a 12 year old whisky. As long as the bottle is kept out of direct sunlight, the Scotch Whisky will neither improve nor deteriorate, even if it is opened. Whisky that is stored at very low temperatures can become cloudy, but the cloudiness should disappear when the whisky is returned to room temperature.


That said..if you can keep it in a dark place - be sure to buy a bottle you know you enjoy very much now and are worried might not be around then, and start the save.


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## Josh Lucky 13 (Dec 23, 2010)

Whiskey/Scotch ages in wood. Its that age that gives it most of its flavor and color. Once in the bottle the aging process ends and should be little to no change in flavor. I just don't understand why you want to hold onto a bottle that long? Its made to be drank.


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## Frodo (Oct 1, 2009)

Whisky doesn't change in the bottle. The only thing is that I've heard that if the bottle is exposed to sunlight for an extended period of time, any caramel coloring (E0150) will dissolve and the whisky will turn a shade lighter - assuming E0150 has been used.

The only other thing is to keep the bottle standing vertically. If you keep it horizontally the spirit will eat away/rot the cork (assuming there is one).


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## Frodo (Oct 1, 2009)

CoCigarSmoker said:


> but I'd like to find a bottle to put down for a long time, theoretically retirement


What we see now in the market place is the height of a whisky boom. In 10 yrs the market will be awash with cheap whisky because it is being overproduced today. Unless it is something like Stitzel-Weller Bourbon or Rosebank or Port Ellen Scotch I'd wait until supply catches up to demand.


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## garublador (Jun 5, 2014)

It depends more on the seal (which might be difficult to impossible to test) than the aging of the whisky. This last year we visited Scotland and did the tour at the Whisky Experience and at the end of the tour you get to see the world's largest whisky collection. The tour guide pointed out that none of the bottles were opened, but there is a varying degree of how much whisky is in each bottle. After decades some of the bottles were near empty while some were still full. He said that there doesn't seem to be much of a pattern, it's just luck of the draw on how well the bottle sealed. Some old bottles were full and some "newer" bottles were already losing whisky. Price didn't seem to affect it , either. A quick Google search will get a bunch of pictures.

I'm not sure I see the logic in the OP's plan, either. There's little chance the bottle will appreciate in value, there's no chance the whisky will improve and there's some chance it will evaporate. I suppose it might be a fun thing to do, and perhaps worth the $40 for something that's easy to get, but I wouldn't bet even a decent bottle on it. It might be more interesting to buy a $40 bottle and put $40 in some sort of long term investment and then compare what you can buy when you retire with what you bought now.


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## chadderkdawg (Dec 17, 2014)

No benefit to holding onto scotch unless you are planning it as an investment, even then, you would need to find a run of 100 bottle batch or less for it to even be worth it.


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## El wedo del milagro (Jul 3, 2012)

Everyone here is parroting info they read, not info they picked up from experience.

There currently is a discussion in the distilling community about weather spirits can age in glass (or stainless). Lots of old timers yell and shout that no, aging only happens in a barrel, and it comes to a screeching halt when the spirits are bottled. Others of us then ask, "If booze can't age in glass, why is a twenty year old white estate rum much more expensive than the same brand from this year?" 

It's like on this board when someone says that they have "aged their cigars for a year", and folks jump them and say "aging doesn't start till year three", or "aging doesn't start till year five, you have only rested yer cigars". Some will say an aged cigar is ruined and is like smoking air, others say, no, cigars smooth out and develop wonderful tastes that weren't there before. Who is right? If ya haven't tested it for yerself, you don't know.

I personally don't care what anyone's specific belief is in aging spirits, or aging cigars. What is important is to find out for yerself. What others say doesn't matter: find out the truth for yerself. I KNOW from experience that spirits age in glass, and stainless tanks, and barrels too. I've put down white rum in glass for years, and it smoothed, softened, and turned into something special without ever touching oak. Mescal too. Something softer and oilier like Oat Whiskey, doesn't improve as much with a few years age as something that starts off edgier and rougher, like rum or mescal.

It doesn't matter what ya read that some "expert" said. That expert can be a scientist, a cop, or a distiller, it doesn't matter because some other "expert" will disagree with him or her. Always test, and experiment for yerself.


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## JohnnyFlake (May 31, 2006)

First, be aware that the Scotch, Whiskey, Brandy, will not age any more than it already has. The flavor will not change. However, storing a libation that you really like is a smart thing to do, as the blending will change over the years, do to what is available for the blending process, Over he years, the flavors of the new blends, for the same booze, will change. Keep that in mind. 

As far as storing long term, for yourself, you need to remove the original cork, as it is what can and will spoil the booze. There are, heavy rubber/whatever material, corks available with vacuum seal systems that will work perfectly for long, long, term storage. Always store in a drak place, with the bottles standing up, even with the special corks. Once vacuumed sealed, with the special corks, the Scotch (whatever) will virtually last forever.


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## MadMatt (Jan 20, 2013)

Only as long as it takes for you to open and drink it!


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## LazyCaturdayz (Dec 28, 2014)

My buddy did a scotch tasting one time where everyone brought a different brand of scotch so everyone could try. 

One kid brought a ~25 year old bottle of dewars white label his parents got as a wedding gift they never drank. Granted dewars white label tasted like ass but it seemed to be in ok condition. I guess as long as it is sealed and kept in a cool dark area it should be ok.


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## CoCigarSmoker (Jan 7, 2015)

Sorry guys, I guess I should have given the reason that I even care to put away a bottle for such a long time. I'm not trying to age anything it's more of a sentimental thing between old friends. We all agreed to put a bottle aside to open when we retire. Just wanted to make sure that in 25 years I didn't open it in excitement only to be drinking p**s water lol.

Thanks for all the responses guys.

Seth


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## Tritones (Jun 23, 2010)

I can keep a bottle of Scotch much longer than bottle of rum ... :biggrin:


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## CoCigarSmoker (Jan 7, 2015)

Tritones said:


> I can keep a bottle of Scotch much longer than bottle of rum ... :biggrin:


Now Rum is something I need more experience in. Aside from a good rum in my mojito I've never had the pleasure of enjoying rum neat...

Seth


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## Luckysaturn13 (Jan 9, 2015)

a bottle of scotch only keeps for 2days-week tops around my place


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## Tritones (Jun 23, 2010)

I like Goslings Black Seal for great flavor at a reasonable price.



CoCigarSmoker said:


> Now Rum is something I need more experience in. Aside from a good rum in my mojito I've never had the pleasure of enjoying rum neat...
> 
> Seth


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